16 May 2008

Jenn over at Leftover Queen is one of the very first blogging friends I ever made in the blogosphere. She is newly married to her "knight in shining armour" Roberto and is living happily ever after in Florida. We share a love for Mediterranean and Lebanese cuisines which she has down to a science. She is the founder of The Foodie Blogroll as well as The Royal Foodie Joust. Each month a new winner is crowned from the everexpanding group of creative entries. The winner then chooses 3 ingredients for the next Joust and so on and so on....happily ever after.

Last months winner chose:

raspberries, limes and almonds

This easy mousse is a great way to let any citrus fruit shine. For the Joust this is prepared with limes but it’s particularly delicious with Meyer lemons or blood oranges as well. The mousse is layered into almond biscuit cups and topped with fresh raspberries and shaved almonds. Raspberries are out of season and are at a premium price at the moment but well worth the sacrifice.The mousse has a delicate citrus flavour. I froze the remainder which makes for a nice light semifreddo. Just add some fresh fruit and you have another dessert made in the shade. When I make these again I will make them more hand- friendly and form the biscuit into a 3-inch circle instead of the larger 6 -inch. Just easier to handle.

Check out the entries for the Joust at the end of the month at the Leftover Queen Forum. This event gets bigger, better and more creative as time goes by.

Combine lime juice, cream, yogurt or sour cream, condensed milk, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-low speed until the cream foams and forms soft peaks when you turn off the mixer and lift the whisk.

Stir in the lime zest with a spatula and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

NOTES: A Greek brand of yogurt made by the Fage Company is the best option for this dessert. It’s available at most supermarkets I'm told, except here in K-town of course...wink...wink..., but if you can’t find it, substitute sour cream instead.

Preheat oven to 325F. Toast the sliced almonds on baking sheet for about 10 minutes until golden. Cool. Combine sugar, flour, egg whites, butter, salt, and almond extract in a stainless steel bowl. Stir in mixture until smooth. Gently fold in the cooled almonds. Let the batter stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. DO NOT SKIP this step. It is needed to attain the desired taste and texture.

Trace 8 (3 -6-inch) circles and spread out evenly over the traced circle using a small offset spatula. Bake at 325F for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown (If making the smaller circles watch them at the 15 minute mark). Turn the baking sheet about halfway through the cooking process for even baking. Allow the biscuits to cool for about 1 minute and peel away from the parchment paper with spatula. Drape cookie over an inverted cup or bowl to form a cup. Allow to cool.To Assemble:

Place almond biscuit cup on serving dish. Fill with Lime Mousse and top with raspberries and shaved almonds. Add a sprig of mint and serve

Now, what I love about this (besides the beautifulness) is your well-written instructions for the cups....usually I have a hard time with these types of things, (inversions, shaping, etc)...but this is something even I, a Play-Dough drop-out, can do easily!

Thanks guys, these were quite good, but as I said I would probably want a more hand-friendly smaller version next time..why not a chocolate mousse as well with the edges of the cup dipped in premium chocolate!!

A stunning dessert to say the least Val. I love the way you explore & enjoy food. Also love the fact that there are no eggs in the mousse. I generally stay away from mousse recipes because of uncooked egg whites! YUM!!

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My blog More Than Burnt Toast has been my passion for almost 9 years and has evolved with me over time as I have gained confidence in the kitchen. Follow my travels through Italy and Greece one recipe at a time, upcoming cooking classes at local Okanagan wineries and restaurants, as well as daily experimentation in my own kitchen. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market. I look forward to getting to know you.